A Government minister is under attack for making "idiotic" comments about former MG Rover workers being able to find jobs at supermarket giant Tesco.

Work and pensions minister Margaret Hodge said there were a range of new job opportunities coming to the West Midlands, where thousands of workers were made redundant following the collapse of the carmaker.

One example was a new Tesco store, said the minister, adding she believed the labour market in the West Midlands was "healthy."

Tony Woodley, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union said: "They are the comments of an incompetent idiot masquerading as a minister."

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The public purse is being saved thousands of pounds by new criminal justice system reforms placing a greater emphasis on looking after victims and witnesses.

In Birmingham Crown Court alone, the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service pilot of a new Witness Care Unit has seen "effective" trials - those that start on the expected day and proceed through to verdict - rise by 10 per cent.

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This week's Post Debate: Do protests work? Neil Connor explores whether kicking up a fuss about an issue is really worth all the effort...

Spare a thought for Joseph Priestly, the man who discovered oxygen.

A great man of science who was chased out of Birmingham by an angry mob incensed by his liberal non-conformist views.

Read views for and against in Friday's Post.

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Police across the West Midlands have received a #500,000 funding boost - from criminals.

The windfall is their share of assets recovered from lawbreakers over the past 12 months.

Forces gained new powers to seize ill-gotten wealth as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, which is designed to ensure convicts leaving prison cannot return to a life of luxury as a result of their crimes.